WTCC Set For Curitiba Kick-Off After All

The 2011 World Touring Car Championship season will begin at Curitiba in Brazil on 20th March after plans to move the event to Interlagos were forced to be dropped.

The WTCC has announced a three-year agreement with the promoter of the Brazilian Copa Caixa Stock Car Series, Vicar Promocoes Desportivas, who will now also promote the FIA WTCC Race of Brazil.

The proposed switch of the Brazilian round to the Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo has been canned because the circuit is currently undergoing renovation work. The switch back to Curitiba needs the approval of the FIA before it can go ahead.

For 2011 the FIA WTCC Race of Brazil and the Stock Car Series will feature in a joint event, presenting the Brazilian fans with two top touring car series in the same weekend.

WTCC promoter Marcello Lotti commented: “After five years as a stand-alone event, WTCC is now facing an important development through this partnership with Vicar. The opportunity of sharing the event with the Copa Caixa Stock Car and the outstanding joint promotion set up by Vicar will greatly enhance the world championship's popularity in Brazil. I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Municipality of Curitiba that enthusiastically keeps on supporting the WTCC event in Brazil.”

A statement from Vicar read: “It's very important for our company to become promoter of an event which is part of a World Championship. We believe that being part of the same race meeting will be a benefit for both series, the WTCC and the Copa Caixa Stock Car, as the Brazilian motorsport enthusiasts will be treated to the great show of two top-level categories racing in the same weekend.”

WTCC Set For Curitiba Kick-Off After All was last modified: February 4th, 2011